What is Live Event Painting?Live event artist, event painter, wedding painter are ways of saying that I am a Live Event Painter - a human camera - capturing the event as it unfolds in a painting, while your guests watch in amazement!My name is Joan Zylkin. I am an academy trained fine artist and I first had the idea to paint live at events way back at the turn of the century (!) and decided to call myself "wedding painter" and "live event painter" and then see how puzzled people were when I tried to explain what I do, never really understanding until they actually saw me painting live at an event. Since then I have painted all kinds of weddings, private and corporate events and stage performances including Shakespeare, Broadway Shows, Gilbert and Sullivan, Rock Bands, Blues and Jazz Festivals, Orchestras and more ... painting people in motion doing what they do, and the energy of the event ... doing what I love - painting LIFE! I also create paintings from photos after the event, and so now I call myself The Event Painter. I paint at weddings, anniversary parties, galas, Bar Mitzvahs, corporate events, and milestone celebrations of all kinds, in fact, anywhere I am commissioned to paint.

What makes my event paintings different form photos or videos?A camera takes what it sees at the split second the shutter closes, and everything is recorded as it appeared to the lens at the split second in time and from that precise angle, often when someone is blinking or moving etc ... and in a similar way, the video camera records what it sees at the precese time of filming. When I am painting, however, I am able to capture what I see as a great images and then add to that what I see are other great images, so that my painting becomes Best Moments all in one picture, without any of the clutter that is usually in a camera image. I an also make you shorter, taller, fatter, thinner, etc etc. After all, your beauty is in my eye, and that is how I paint you.

What event painting IS and IS NOT ...Event painting is a way to capture the life and energy of your celebrations - in the moment - as they are happening. Beforehand we will discuss who and what you would like to see in your painting. Some clients are very specific and others leave this to my judgment. Also I will ask who would like me to represent in the painting. I will do my best to include as many possible, but please understand that event painting is not about painting lots and lots of detailed portraits, but rather about capturing this event in your life, and the most important people, to take you right back to it every time you look at your painting. After all, the more time I spend painting eyelashes and specific people, the less time there is to paint the spontaneity of your celebration.